Aster plant named ‘Yodaydream’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aster  plant named ‘Yodaydream’, characterized by its uniform, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dark green-colored foliage; uniform flowering habit; natural flowering season around September 3 rd ; large daisy-type inflorescences with violet-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Aster hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Yodaydream’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Aster plant, botanically known as Aster hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Yodaydream’.

The new Aster is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objective of the program is to develop new potted Aster cultivars that have a uniform plant growth habit, good vigor and strong branching habit, numerous inflorescences, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, uniform flowering response and good postproduction longevity.

The new Aster originated from an open-pollination made by the Inventor in January, 2001 in Alva, Fla., of an unnamed proprietary Aster hybrida seedling selection, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown Aster hybrida selection, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Aster was discovered and selected by the Inventor in March, 2002, as a single flowering plant from within the resulting progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla.

The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, good vigor and strong branching habit, numerous inflorescences, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, uniform flowering response and good postproduction longevity.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aster by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Alva, Fla. in May, 2002. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Aster are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Yodaydream has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Yodaydream’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Yodaydream’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Aster:

-   -   1. Uniform, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored foliage.     -   4. Uniform flowering habit.     -   5. Natural flowering season around September 3^(rd).     -   6. Large daisy-type inflorescences with violet-colored ray         florets.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Aster can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Aster differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aster were larger than plants of the female         parent selection.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Aster were more blue in         color than ray florets of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Aster can be compared to plants of the cultivar Ariel, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,812. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Aster differed from plants of the cultivar Ariel in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aster were stronger, smaller and denser         than plants of the cultivar Ariel.     -   2. Plants of the new Aster flowered about three weeks earlier         than plants of the cultivar Ariel under natural season         conditions.     -   3. Plants of the new Aster had larger inflorescences with more         ray florets than plants of the cultivar Ariel.     -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Aster were darker in color         than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Ariel.

Plants of the new Aster can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Yomelody, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,822. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Aster differed from plants of the cultivar Yomelody in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aster were more compact than plants of the         cultivar Yomelody.     -   2. Plant habit of plants of the new Aster was more uniform than         plant habit of plants of the cultivar Yomelody.     -   3. Plants of the new Aster flowered about three days earlier         than plants of the cultivar Yomelody under natural season         conditions.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Aster had fewer ray         florets than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Yomelody.     -   5. Ray floret color of plants of the new Aster did not fade         whereas ray floret color of plants of the cultivar Yomelody         faded with development.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Aster showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Aster.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Yodaydream’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Yodaydream’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown and flowered during the summer in Salinas, Calif., in an outdoor nursery and under conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Aster production. During the production of these plants, day temperatures were about 21 to 24° C. and night temperatures were about 10 to 13° C. Two unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 15-cm containers and exposed to long day/short night conditions for 18 days. After the plants were rooted, plants were exposed to natural season conditions.

-   Botanical classification: Aster hybrida cultivar Yodaydream. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary Aster hybrida             seedling selection, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown Aster hybrida selection,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 16 to 18 days at 22°             C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color, close to             155D.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type potted Aster. Upright with lateral             branches outwardly spreading; inverted triangle with             uniformly mounded crown. Strong and freely branching growth             habit with lateral branches potentially developing at every             node; dense and full plants. Moderately vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 26 cm.         -   Plant width (single plant).—About 29.5 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 24 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 1.3 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple;             sessile. Length: About 5.2 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape:             Linear. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 147A. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A; venation, 147B. Fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B; venation, 147B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type terminal and axillary inflorescences             with ligulate to linear-shaped ray florets. Disc and ray             florets develop acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences             not fragrant. Inflorescences face upright to outwardly.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower             about September 3^(rd). Uniform flowering habit.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about one week on the plant.             Inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit; about 30             open inflorescences per lateral branch.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Shape: Oval to elongate. Color: 85A.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—Large, about 4 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Diameter of disc.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Receptacle diameter.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Receptacle height.—About 1 cm.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Ligulate to linear. Orientation:             Initially upright, then about 85 to 90° from vertical.             Aspect: Straight, mostly flat. Length: About 1.8 cm. Width:             About 2 mm. Apex: Acute. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number of ray florets per             inflorescence: About 44 arranged in about two whorls. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 85A;             towards the base, 85B; color does not fade with development.             When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 85C             to 85D.         -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.             Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About             8 mm. Diameter, apex: About 2 mm. Diameter, base: Less than             1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 38.             Color, immature: Close to 11A. Color, mature: Apex and             mid-section: Close to 11B. Base: Close to 157B.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 32. Length:             About 1 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Truncate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 147A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: Terminal peduncle: About 4.3 cm. Third             peduncle: About 6.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle to             vertical: About 35 to 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per floret:             About five. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther color: 12A.             Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 12A. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per ray floret: One. Pistil length: About 7 mm.             Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: 157A. Style length:             About 4 mm. Style color: 157B. Ovary color: 157B.             Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Asters has not been observed on plants grown under commercial     production conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Aster have been observed to be     rain and wind tolerant and to tolerate temperatures from 0 to more     than 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Aster plant named ‘Yodaydream’, as illustrated and described. 